Paper roll holder



June 5, 1951 s, HOPE 2,555,885

PAPER ROLL HOLDER Filed Mafch 12, 1948 INVEANTOR SAMUEL N; HOPE TTORNE YPatented June 5, 1951 PAPER ROLL HOLDER Samuel N. Hope, Wauwatosa, Wis.,assignor to Griffith-Hope Company, West Allis, Wis., a, corporation ofWisconsin Application March 12, 1948, Serial bio/14,497

8 Claims.

1 I The present invention relates to holders or dispensers for sheetmaterial in roll form, such as paper toweling, toilet paper, and waxedpaper.

'An object of the invention is to provide an improved holder ordispenser for rotatably supporting a paper roll and frictionallyretarding its rotation, and of such character as to facilitatej theinsertion of the roll and the removal of the roll core when the rollbecomes exhausted.

Another object is to provide a roll holder which willprotect and enclosethe roll and which will permiteasy severing or cutting of the paper.

A.further object is to provide a roll holder which can be manufacturedat relatively low cost andwhich presents a neat appearance.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating certain embodiments of theinvention,-

Fig. .1 is a front elevational view of a loaded paper roll holderconstructed in accordance with the invention;

- Fig. 2 is an end view of the loaded holder;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of one end portion of the holder; I Fig; 4 is atransverse sectional view of the holdenptaken generally on the line 4-4of Fig. l. anfen-tering position of the roll being shown in brokenlines;

Fig. "5 is a longitudinal sectional viewof the holdertaken generally onthe line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig.5 is a sectional view similar to the righthand portion of Fig. 5,but showing a slightly modified form of holder, a roll being shown in anentering position;

Fig. 7 is an end view of another modified form of holder, a roll beingmounted therein, and Fig. 8 is a sectional view of one end portion ofthe loaded holder of Fig. 7, taken generally along the line 8--8 of Fig.7. Referring to the drawing, the roll holder of Figs. 1 to 5 includes asupporting body or frame in the form of a horizontally extending housingor casing consisting of opposed sheet metal end members I and a sheetmetal intermediate member II connecting the end members. Theintermediate member II is bent to form a hood comprising a rear wall I2,a top wall I3, and an arcuate front wall I4 merging with the top wall,the bottom of the casing being open, and the front wall having alongitudinally extending lower edge I which is higher than the loweredge of the rear wall. Each end member I0 has a. vertical end wall Itand a curved inturned flange. along its rear, top and front, and theends of the member I I have inwardly offset margins lil. The flanges I1of the end members lap the offset margins I8 and are rigidly securedthereto, as by spot welding. The rear wall I2 has keyhole slots I9adapted to receive screws for attaching the holder to a supporting wall21.

The vertical end walls I6 of the casing are parallel, and their innerfaces form fiat guide surfaces for the opposite ends of aroll 22 ofsheet materiahsuch as paper toweling,'the roll having the usual tubularcore 23. The distance between the parallel end walls I6 is slightlygreater than the length of the roll, and the open bottomof the casingforms an entrance for the roll. The end walls I6 have respectivecircular, outwardly projecting embossments 24 aligned on ahorizontalaxis, each embossment having a flat ver: tical wall 25. Each end wall isfurther embossed to form an annular seat or rabbet 25 at the inner facethereof concentric with the main-embossment 24. A fiat, annular, sheetmetal plate 21 has'its peripheral portion fitting in therabbet 26 andsecured thereto as by spot welding 28, Fig. 4. The circular rabbet 26facilitates the placement of the plate 27 and is of such depth that theplate is substantially flush with the inner face of the end wall It, theplate presenting a roll-guiding surface. A chamber 29 is formed betweeneach embossment 24 and the associated plate 21, and each plate has acentral circular opening 30 through which projects a tiltably mountedbowlshaped roll-engaging bearing member or follower 3I formed of sheetmetal. The follower has a fiat marginal stop flange 32 disposed in thechamber 29 and engageable with the adjacent face of the annular plate 21to limit the pro jection of the follower. The convex portion of thefollower, which is here shown to be spherically rounded, has a looserotatable fit in the circular plate opening 30. The follower is urged inroll-engaging direction by a compressed coiled spring 33 confined in thechamber 29 between the fiat embossment wall 25 and the concave side ofthe follower, the spring being restrained against lateral shifting bythe concavity of the follower. In the absence of a roll, the springurges the marginal stop flange 32 of the follower against the plate 11';

To insert a roll into the holder, the roll is grasped at its middleportion by one hand, lifted in a horizontal position between the guidingend wall surfaces of the holder, as seen in. Figs. 4 and 6,- and whileheld in an approximately horizontal position pushed directly upwardlyuntil the-con; vex portionsor crowns of the followers-:seatill the endsof the tubular roll core, as seen in Fig. 5. In this upward movement ofthe roll the roll ends exerta cam action on the convex portions of thefollowers, as seen in Fig. 6 (illustrating a slightly modified form ofholder), causing tilting and depression of the followers. At this stagethe upper end of each follower flange 32 fulcrums on the plate 21-; andthe upper-edge of the convex-por tionof the follow-er abuts againsttheupper'edge of the plate opening 30. When each follower is fullydepressed the walls of the embossments 24" will'prevent excessivelateral displacement of the follower. The tilting of the spring-pressedfollowers permits insertion of theroll withrelatively smalleffort eventhough thefollower springs are under adequate compression to hold theroll firmly in its dispensing position. The clearance between theperiphery of the inserted roll and the adjacent walls of the holder ispreferably smallso as to facilitate centering of the roll. Theloadingoperation is effected withone hand andrequires ,very little time.Asthe roll reaches its: centered position, each spring-pressed follower.is free; to tilt to a limited extentin any. di rection. about. theadjacent end. of the coiled spring. thus distributing. or, equalizing;the pressure contact-of: the convex. portion of the follower with the.adj scent-end offthe tubular roll core 23. .When'a length of towel paperis desired, the protruding end, of; the paper is drawn downwardly; a.suitable distance and the paper is then severed along oneof theusuallines of weakening. preferably by tearing, the paper while incontact with the lower, edge l5 of; the casing front wall. The severingedge I 5 is also used in the case-of rolled paper withoutlines of.weakening. The friction applied: to. the, roll is. sufficient to preventfree turning of the rollbut will not interfere with normal dispensing.During rotation of theroll, thezs-pring-pressed followers may or may notrotate depending on therelative friction be,- tween. the; parts. If thefree end. of the paper should become. inaccessible after a dispensingoperation; it can be exposed by. manuallyrotating theroll; After: theroll is exhausted, the core can be easily removed by grasping itv at.its middle portion with onehand and pulling it downwardly toreleaseit.from the followers, the cam action of-the core-on, thespringep-ressedfollowers depressing; the followers. Upon removal of the core, thefollowers are spring-urged to their stopped positions againstv the.plates 2.1;

2111. the: modification shown in Fig. 6; the lower edgeof the casing endwall [6 has an outwardly curvedf'pbrtion or lips 34' to form. a rollentrance. The, constructionis otherwise similar.- to that of Fig; 5.

The modified'form of roll holder shown in Figs. land 8 hasa casingcomprising an intermediate member It and opposed end members [0, oneheingg'sho-wn. Each end'meinber has. a fiat vertican -m wall 35 with aninturned flange ll. se-' cured to a marginal offset I8 formed on eachend. of the intermediatemember I I, as in the device of Fig. 1. A cuppedsheet metal member 36 issecuredatthe inner side-of each end wall to forma 'chamber-3'litherewith and. has a fiat vertical roll-guiding wall 38and a cylindrical peripheral'wall139, the. edges of the latter bearingon the inner face. of the end wall. 35. Bendable. ears 40. formed on theedges of the cup wall 39 pass through slots M in the end wall. 35.andare bent inwardly into correspondingly shaped depressions flaformed inthe, end: wall 35 to lieflush with; the. outer faceof thelatter wall.The. cup

in the same manner.

Roll holders constructed in accordance with the invention can be usedfor dispensing various other sheet materials in roll form, such astoilet paper and wax paper.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having aroll-guiding wall with an opening a spring-pressed follower having aconvexly formed portion projecting loosely through said opening andadapted to interengage with the end of the roll for rotatably supportingthe roll, and a spring forurging said follower againstthe end of theroll, said'follower having a marginal stop flange behind and engageablewith said wall, to limit. theprojection of said follower, said convexlyformed portion presenting a cam surface. sEidably-engageable by theperipheral portion of theadjacentendof the-roll for depressing saidfollower duringthe loading operation, and said follower being free totilt in said openingto dis tribute the pressure contact of thefollowerwit the end of theroll.

2. In a holderfor a roll of sheet material; a support having a wall withan opening, a tiltably rnounted follower. having a convexly formedportion.projecting looselythrough said opening and adapteditointerengage with the end ofthe roll, said follower having a marginalstop portion en gageable behind said wall to limit the projection of thefollower and to form afulcrum during tilting of the follower, and'springmeans for urging said follower in roll-engaging direction,

and for yieldably resisting the tilting displacement of: said follower,said conve-xly formedportion presenting a cam surface slidablyengageable by the peripheral portion of the adjacent end of the rollfortilting and-depressing saidfollower during theloading operation.

'3; In a holder for a roll of sheet materialya,

support having end Walls each with an embossment; a pair of parallelroll-guiding plates secured tothe inner sides of said-respective end,

walls toform chambers with said embossments, said plates havingrespective openings therein and: adapted to guide the opposite ends ofthe entering roll, tiltable followers having convex portions projectingloosely through said respective openings and adapted to inter-engagewith the oppositeends of the-rollfor rotatably supporting theroil, eachfol-lower further having an annular marginal stop flange engageablebehind the adjcacent end wall to limit the projection of said followerand to fulcrum on said end wall, theconvex portion of said followerbeing laterally-em gageable withthe edge of the associated openingtolimit the lateral displacement of said follower,

and spring means in said chambers for urging Said followers inroll-engaging direction, said convex: follower portions presentingc'amsurfaces slidably engageable by the peripheralportions ofvoppositeends of the roll topush said followers apart during the loadingoperation. I

4. In: aholder for a roll of sheet material; a

support having spaced'walls, a pair of cup-shaped members secured to theinner faces of-saidrespective walls toform chambers therewith and havingplate-like wall portions with respective openings, said wall portionsbeing adapted to receive the roll between them and to guide the oppositeends of the entering roll, followers projecting loosely through saidrespective openings and adapted to interengage with the opposite ends ofthe roll for rotatably supporting the roll, said follower having amarginal stop flange behind said wall portion to limit the projection ofthe follower, and springs in said chambers interposed and confinedbetween said walls and said followers for urging said followers inroll-engaging direction, said followers having cam-forming surfacesslidably engageable by the peripheral portions of the opposite ends ofthe roll to push said followers apart during the loading operation.

5. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having a wallwith an opening, a bowlshaped roll-supporting follower rotatablyprojecting through said opening and having a marginal stop flange behindsaid wall and adapted to fulcrum on said wall, and spring means forurging said follower in roll-engaging direction, said follower adaptedto interengage with an end of the roll for rotatably supporting andbraking the roll end and having a cam surface slidably engageable by theperipheral portion of the roll end for depressing said follower.

6. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having endstructures adapted to admit the roll between them, said end structureseach having inner and outer wall portions, said inner wall portionshaving respective openings and presenting guide surfaces for theopposite ends of the entering roll, followers projecting through saidrespective openings and adapted to interengage with the opposite ends ofthe roll for rotatably supporting the roll, each follower having amarginal stop flange behind the inner wall portion to limit theprojection of the follower, and springs interposed and confined betweenthe outer wall portions and said followers for urging the followers inroll-engaging direction, said followers having cam surfaces slidablyengageable by the peripheral portions of the opposite ends of theentering roll to push said followers apart 6 during the loadingoperation, and each follower having a limited freedom to tilt in anydirection.

7. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having an endwall with an embossment an inner annular rabbet around the base of saidembossrnent, a flat plate marginally secured to said embossed wall toform a chamber therewith and fitting in said rabbet to lie substantiallyflush with the inner face of said wall, said plate having a centralopening, a follower having a convexly rounded portion extending looselythrough said opening and further having a stop portion within saidchamber and a concave side facing said wall embossment, and a spring insaid chamber for urging said follower in roll-engaging direction, saidspring being confined between said end wall embossment and the concaveside of said follower.

8. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having a wallwith an opening and presenting a guiding surface for the end of the,roll, a tiltably mounted follower having a convexly formed portionprojecting loosely through said opening and adapted to interengage withthe end of the roll for rotatably supporting the roll end, said followerhaving a marginal stop portion be hind said wall for limiting theprojection and tilting displacement of said follower, and spring meansbehind said follower for urging said follower in roll-engaging directionand for yieldably resisting tilting of said follower, said convexlyformed portion presenting a cam surface siidably engageable by theperipheral portion of the roll end for tilting and depressing saidfollower during the loading operation.

SAMUEL N. HOPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 40 fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

